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Real Birth Stories – Drug-free breech delivery

A real mum shares her experience of a 50-minute labour with no pain relief – and her baby was in a breech position.

Birth Summary

*Jackie Farrell, 34, gave birth to baby Anna with her husband, David, at her side. It was a breech delivery.*Length of labour: 50 minutes. *Pain relief: None.*Scariest moment: The look on the midwife’s face when a bottom emerged! *Funniest moment: Asking for pain relief for the headache and then realising that I’d given birth without any!*Advice for mums-to-be: Choose a capable birth partner you trust.

“I felt an almighty pop as my waters broke. It was 10pm, one week overdue, and I’d just got into bed. Ten minutes later I had my first contraction. I had a quick shower, but by the time I got out I could hardly stand and shouted for David to phone the hospital. Luckily, my mum arrived to look after Alex, our 2-year-old son. David started the car while I clung to a table.

“Seconds later I was shouting to everyone to leave me alone. I was sure I was fully dilated. David got me into the car at 10.35pm and within moments I was pushing. The roads were clear and we got there in about 10 minutes, but I could feel the baby coming and I didn’t think we’d make it. We reached the maternity unit but the doors were locked, so David dashed into casualty shouting, ‘My wife’s having a baby – NOW!’

“I was wheeled into the resuscitation room where a midwife arrived in time to see me delivering my baby. My husband saw the shocked look on her face and knew there was something wrong. He looked down to see a bottom emerging. Then the midwife told me to put my chin on my chest and push the baby’s head out, which I did in one go, and she put baby Anna on my chest.

Anna was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. She had a wonderful scent and I knew she was mine. The time was 10.50pm! Afterwards I got a thumping headache, probably from all the shouting – not to mention the shock!”